Working out – how to keep motivation?

[Fundamental_manParticipant 209]

Being in my mid 40s, feeling the effects of declining testosterone and general ageing, I want to get bigger and stronger, while dropping some fat.
I do cardio (jogging) for at least 25-30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week, wheather and scheduld permitting, but I hardly ever find the motivation to go to the gym.
When I am there, I usually prefer to do the standard 10-12 reps, fewer sets and more load, to the point of muscles trembling (?) at the last one or two reps.

I have consulted a PT for basic instructions, feel ok after workout etc but feel no “drive” to do it often enough to make a difference. Btw, I have no “buddies” to work out together with.

Any ideas?

[joetechParticipant]

Make regular trips to the gym and you’ll meet new buddies. Also, bicycling groups might be an idea. I joined a ski club once and found it to be quite stimulating and motivating.

"Don't follow in my footsteps...I stepped in something."

[Fundamental_manParticipant 209]

joetech wrote:

Make regular trips to the gym and you’ll meet new buddies. Also, bicycling groups might be an idea. I joined a ski club once and found it to be quite stimulating and motivating.

Thanks!
I am fairly introvert (I stand out even among “quiet” Swedes…), and though I am in no way shy, I am not interested in making “buddies”, especially in a gym. Sorry!

I also have a road bike that I almost hate to ride. Impulse buy. General bike riding is ok, and I do it frequently, but as a sport? No, thanks, especially as I already do jogging.

[Greg HondaParticipant 6406]

Do some Amphetamine before you go 😉

Then get a good mix of high BPM dance music on your MP3 player and view it as a night out at a dance club.

You’ll have a great time 🙂

It's Time to get Wise

[Fundamental_manParticipant 209]

Greg Honda wrote:

<snip>

Then get a good mix of high BPM dance music on your MP3 player and view it as a night out at a dance club.
<iframe width=”500″ height=”281″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/BkpoMB502gc?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=””></iframe>

You’ll have a great time

Haha, thanks!

I feel like an old, grumpy dinosaur, but I hate dance music, I NEVER go clubbing, I do not dance at all, and I do not even own a mp3 player. Yes, I am a bit different. 😉

[Pedal, run, rowParticipant]

Greg Honda wrote:

Do some Amphetamine before you go
Then get a good mix of high BPM dance music on your MP3 player and view it as a night out at a dance club.
<iframe width=”500″ height=”281″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/BkpoMB502gc?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=””></iframe>

You’ll have a great time

I am sitting there playing with my speaker, checking my volume settings… You could have set the clip to start playing at the 1 min mark! 🙂

Sounds good though. I have been using podrunner tunes, the ones around 170- 180, but this will give me something new.

@ OP,I don’t like to use them regularly, but to get you going and establish a routine, you can take caffeine fat burners, just don’t overdo it, and don’t take them long term. Just to get you going on your new routine.

Also YouTube Abs after 40 has a lot of good tips for us older guys. I do some of their body weight routines. good stuff.

Unfortunately it is like MEn’s health or men’s fitness – with a lot of “This is how you get the chicks!” Just ignore that s~~~.

[KeymasterKeymaster]

I don’t enjoy working out when I fall back and get lazy, but once I get going, I feel great. I also fat-shame myself to the gym. If I eat french fries, I force myself to go the extra mile too.

The motivation comes from reminding myself — > IF I go, I will feel great AFTER.

So go.

“Just do it”.

I think NIKE® was really on to something there.

If you keep doing what you've always done... you're gonna keep getting what you always got.

[Greg HondaParticipant 6406]

Pedal, run, row wrote:

I am sitting there playing with my speaker, checking my volume settings… You could have set the clip to start playing at the 1 min mark! ?

Yeah, sorry about that. I always edit them down with a Wave editor before converting to MP3.

That guy Hebbs has some good stuff on his channel and quite a few are Free downloads.

It's Time to get Wise

[Pedal, run, rowParticipant]

Keymaster wrote:

I don’t enjoy working out when I fall back and get lazy, but once I get going, I feel great. I also fat-shame myself to the gym. If I eat french fries, I force myself to go the extra mile too.

The motivation comes from reminding myself — > IF I go, I will feel great AFTER.

So go.

“Just do it”.

I think NIKE® was really on to something there.

That is a good point.
When I don’t feel like doing it, and it is not my body telling me I am overtraining, I tell myself: “Just start, and if after 5 minutes you feel like quitting, then quit.”

I never quit after 5 minutes, once I get going everything clicks. And yes, I always feel better. I never think to myself “Boy I wish I hadn’t done that workout!”

For cardio look into maffetone method. keep HR 180 – age. (If 53 like me: 180 – 53 = 127) There is a whole science behind it. Just google it.

[Fundamental_manParticipant 209]

Thanks!

[AwakenedParticipant 35201]

Fundamental_man wrote:

Being in my mid 40s, feeling the effects of declining testosterone and general ageing, I want to get bigger and stronger, while dropping some fat.

HARD to get “bigger and stronger, while dropping some fat” if you have low testosterone. Only a blood test will yell you for sure.

“dropping some fat” is about 90 % diet and 10% exercise.

Fundamental_man wrote:

I hardly ever find the motivation to go to the gym

You have to make it into a habit. Consistency is key !!

In a World of Justin Beibers Be a Johnny Cash

[KeymasterKeymaster]

Pedal, run, row wrote:

Once I get going …….I always feel better. I never think to myself “Boy I wish I hadn’t done that workout!”

Yes.

It even makes an extra slice of pizza OK. Don’t go, and you start to be conscious of it “I really shouldn’t… damn I didn’t go to the gym today….whatever…. blah blah….”

No. You SHOULD have that extra slice if you want – and if you earned it.

“Just do it” works both ways.
Be good to yourself.

If you go kick your ass for a while, you have an extra baked potato and your doctor will never know the difference. A few weeks ago I worked out to sheer exhaustion. I had a DISGUSTING amount of pasta that night. I felt no quilt. Zero. Was delicious.

That’s a motivator too! You can afford to cheat with no apologies.

If you keep doing what you've always done... you're gonna keep getting what you always got.

[Anonymous 54]

Ive been working out 6 days a week for almost 40 years.
In my early tentys I decided I wanted to be in shape when I got older, so I can still do all my action stuff.

I habe a routine, nothin real big, so I could be consistant over the years.

Im sorry, but I dont get the gym thing. Too hard to be consistant.

Sit ups, pushups, free wieghts.

Self disiplen, and admiditly a little vanity for motivation

I dont go for huge, just in good shape.

[Anonymous 54]

I treid Stealthys 3 eggs a day.

Holy S~~~!!
Huge rise in T.

[KeymasterKeymaster]

Anonymous wrote:

I treid Stealthys 3 eggs a day.

Holy S~~~!!
Huge rise in T.

Really? I eat alot of eggs. About 6 whites to one yolk.
I didn’t know it was a T-booster. But I admit I don’t feel “low”.

If you keep doing what you've always done... you're gonna keep getting what you always got.

[Anonymous 54]

I foolishly bought into the whole eggs are bad thing years ago, so I gave them up.
Then started again and notived a huge diference.
I backed off to 2.
I keep wanting to fight!! Hah.

If you make your work out moderate, its not an overwelming Task.

It just becomes part of your daily routine, and not much motivation is needed.

[BobDParticipant 9]

I am in my late 50’s, I really feel better going to the gym, nerve pain gone, and a general feeling of accomplishment. I don’t go nuts, bike a couple of times between circuit training sets.
Just have to do it.

[Anonymous 42]

Anonymous wrote:

I treid Stealthys 3 eggs a day.

Holy S~~~!!
Huge rise in T.

I have chickens!

[Anonymous 54]

BobD wrote:

I am in my late 50’s, I really feel better going to the gym, nerve pain gone, and a general feeling of accomplishment. I don’t go nuts, bike a couple of times between circuit training sets.
Just have to do it.

Old guys rule!

[Fundamental_manParticipant 209]

With my current situation in life (taking care of our kids 50% of the time), any “daily routine” is a pipe dream. Once or twice a week is probably a realistic target.
I already eat LCHF-ish – no white flour, little grain in general and so on. The low T value is just a guess on my part, after checking general symptoms online.

[Author]

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